Telephone signal light



1,650,699 w. H. DILLON f TELEPHONE SIGNAL LIQHT Filed Feb. 5. 192? F 6Fig.1.

F Y 2. Z4 .2 az 33 8 2 mvanToR, Walter HDillon,

Patented N... 29, 1921.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-16E.

WALTER H. ZDIIJ'JON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

TELEPHONE SIGNAL LIGHT.

Application filed February 5, 1927. Serial No. ieaoee.

the purpose of automatically causing a light to shine about thetelephone as a source of illumination when the telephone is being used.

While adapted for usein connection with any type of telephone, theinvention is of particularly great advantage when used in cooperationwith the well known desk-type telephone. In many cases, especially instores, the telephone is located in an out-ofthe-way place, so thatlittle or no light may be had about the telephone to permit the personusing the telephone writing down an order or make notes of the receivedmes- Particularly is a li ht of great advantage when the telephone is ofthe automatic type having an operating dial afiixed to its base and thedial must be operated at night. My invention supplies a light directedtoward the telep one base, automatically sage.

' switched on when the telephone receiver is removed from its hook andautomatically switched off when the receiver is returned to its hook.

Again, in using a telephone in a store, the person answering thetelephone is often called away from the telephone and leaves thereceiver off its hook intending to return and complete the conversation,but being interupted forgets to return, and .as the reindicating at onceceiver remains off the hook, no further incomin calls may be received.My invention provi es a signal observable from a distance that thereceiver is off its hook, the signal being automatically operated incooperation with the receiver hook.

The invention is described in one particular embodiment, in reference tothe accompanyingdrawing, in which Flg. 1, is a front elevation of adesk-type tele hone with my invention attached;

1g. 2, a rear elevation of my device detached from the telephone;

Fig. 3, an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the device;

Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

gig. 5, a bottom plan view of the device; an

Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3. A

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

The signal device comprises a base 10, with a depending bracket 11'. Aclamp formed of the two symmetrical pieces 12 and 13 is adapted to gripabout the telephone column 14 by one end by means of drawing the twopieces 12 and 13 together by the bolt 15. The other end of the clamp isprovided with a slot 16 through both pieces, through which slot ispassed a bolt 17 engaging in the bracket 11. By means of the slot 16,the bracket, 11 and its base may be moved toward or away from the column14 as desired within the limits of the length of the slot, and may alsobe rotated to various angles about the bolt 17, and any position of thebase 10 is maintained by tightening up the bolt 17.

The base 10 carries a front wall 18 through which is passed an electriclamp socket 19 and there secured by the front plate 20. A lamp 21 iscarried in the socket 19 to proj ect forwardly from the front 18, and ashield 22 is slippe over the lamp to be engaged frictionally on thecollar 23 carried by the plate 20.

The forward side of the shield 22 is enclosed with a glass 24 preferablyred in color, though any color may be employed as desired. The underside of the shield 22 has a cut-out 25 through which lightfrom the lammay be directed downwardly.

The ase also carries a rear wall 26, through which a slot 27 is out nearone side to permit the lever 28 to enter and travel up and down as itswings about its pivot 29 on the other side of the wall 26.. The lever28 extends back of the telephone column 14 from the pivot 29 and has aforwardly bent section 30 directed toward the telephone receiver hookarm 31. This section 30 has a notch cut back in from its front edge toleave a forwardly projecting finger 32 to rest on top of the arm 31.

The arm 31 in various telephones varies in height, and to provide forsuch variation,

a plate 33 is pivotally carried by its rear en on the section and has afinger 34 adapted to contact the under side of the arm 31 by swingingthe plate 33 upwardly about its pivot 35. he plate 33 is rovided with aslot 36 therethrough forwar of the pivot 35, through which slot a bolt37 carried by the section 30 is passed. This bolt 37 is drawn up toretain the plate 33 in a position whereby the arm 31 is gripped betweenthe two fingers 32 and 34. The fingers 32 and 34 may be properlyadjusted to the arm 31 in a horizontal plane by swinging the base 10around the column 14 through the clamp pieces 12 and 13, and in avertical plane by raising or lowering the clamp pieces 12 and 13.

The end of the lever 28 on the other side of the pivot 29 enters theslot 27 as above described b a short forwardly-turned section 38 to wich is attached a short length of a non-conductin or insulating material39 which extends t brwardly through the slot 27 to beyond the front faceof the rear wall 26. A contact block 40 is mounted on the insulatedblock 39 to project downwardly to remain normally just out of contactwith the outer end of the contact spring 41.

This contact spring 41 is rigidly secured to and above the base 10 byits opposite end by the terminal post 42 and is prevented from risingabove its normal position of non-contact by a pin 43 passed through thespring 41 and secured in the base 10.

A conductor wire 44 interconnects the contact block 40 and one terminalof the lamp socket 19. A two wire cable 45 passes from without upthrough the base 10, one wire 46 of which is secured to the contactspring terminal post 42, and the other wire 47 is secured to the otherterminal of the socket 19. The cable 45 carries a suitable plug 48 onits outer free end to be inserted m a suitable receptacle socket (notshown) in an outlet of any suitable lighting electric circuit. A covercomplete y encloses the contacting members.

The device as above described is so adjusted on the telephone column 14that when the receiver 49 is removed from its book arm'31 to lace thetelephone in operation, theupwarci travel of the arm 31 in closing itsown switch within the telephone rocks the lever 28 about its pivot 29 tocause the contact block 40 to press down on the contact spring 41, whichcontacting action closes the cn'cuit from the independent lightingcircuit through the lamp 21 and thereb illuminates the lam to causelight to 5 inc forwardly throng the red glass 24, as a signal.

indicating that the receiver 49 is of! its hook arm 31, and also tocause li ht to shine downwardly through the shiel opening 25 toilluminate an appreciable area around about the telephone base.

The lamp 21 50 remains illuminated until the receiver 49 is replaced onits arm 31, which arm travels downwardl by the wei ht of the receiverand rocks t e lever 28 to lift the block 40 from contact with the spring41 to interrupt the flow of current to the lamp 21.

I claim:

In a telephone light, a telephone, a telehone receiver arm, a switchhousing adustabl attached to the telephone, a lever ivotal y attached tothe switch housing aving a short end extended to within the housing andalon end extended out from the pivot point an alon said receiver arm, amember in the switch ousing adapted to be contacted in association withthe lever end, and jaws extended from the long end of the lever, onebelow and one above the receiver arm, one of said jaws being adjustablcarried to swing toward the other jaw.

Iii testimony whereof I aflix m si ature.

I WALTER H. IL N.

